Heartbreak Hotel
by clouddreamzz
Summary: Brittany wasn't dumb. She knew exactly what was going on between Quinn and Rachel. But, sometimes, she wished she were just as oblivious as everyone else. Faberry, Brittberry.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Heartbreak Hotel [1/?]

Brittany wasn't dumb. She knew exactly what was going on between Quinn and Rachel. But, sometimes, she wished she were just as oblivious as everyone else.

* * *

><p>Disclaimer: I own nothing. The only thing I do own is my imagination of things that will probably never ever happen. Still, a girl can dream.<p>

* * *

><p>Brittany may not have been psychic like Rachel claimed to be or had that six cents – what did pennies had to do with anything – which the girl mentioned about from time to time. But Brittany did have eyes; eyes that let her see the things she did. People never seemed to censor themselves around her; they probably thought her dumb but Brittany wasn't dumb. She didn't like how people automatically expected her to act as the stereotypical blonde cheerleader. Don't judge a book by its cover and all that. It wasn't her fault that she tended to misinterpret the conversations around her. Brittany found that it didn't take much for her focus to wander, which in turn led to her sometimes slow, sometimes strange responses.<p>

Besides, her answers were awesome.

Anyways, back to the point at hand: there was definitely something going on between Quinn and Rachel and Brittany wasn't sure she liked whatever secrets were being kept between the two.

The dilemma first started when she happened to look in the right direction at the right moment when entering the music room for another Glee Club meeting. Santana, of course, was right by her side but even then the other girl didn't notice what she did of their Cheerios captain. Quinn, who was walking by Brittany's left, had simply glanced towards one particular direction. And with that glance the corners of Quinn's lips twitched upward ever so slightly before suddenly falling back down to their usual position. The girl then moved to pick out her seat for the day, Brittany and Santana moving to follow their captain.

But that brief moment had already worked its way into Brittany's mind. And as she sat Brittany mulled over that small act of Quinn's.

Quinn had looked like she wanted to smile and – judging from the shorter blonde's previous line of sight – apparently Quinn had wanted to smile because of Rachel Berry.

Brittany then noticed how far apart they were sitting from the always-vocal brunette.

* * *

><p>That glance and that squashed beginning of a smile was the catalyst of Brittany's suspicions.<p>

And soon after she began to notice other little things.

* * *

><p>The hallways at McKinley High can get awfully crowded at times with the throng of students that attended there. And it could get pretty difficult trying to maneuver your way around school grounds without getting lost. Still, Quinn and Rachel never seem to miss the opportunity to pass by each other at certain parts of the day.<p>

Brittany certainly didn't miss spying their faint brush of each other's hands either.

Her own hands twitched just a little.

* * *

><p>Rachel Berry is a hard girl to miss. Her peculiar taste for fashion and style of speech made the girl stand out as much as her vocal talents did.<p>

And Quinn's eyes always seem to actively search for the bodily presence of the short brunette, especially whenever Quinn knew Rachel would be nearby. It wasn't hard for Brittany to become aware of this almost ritualistic act of Quinn's as the girl constantly made sure to sit as far as possible while still keeping Rachel within range of her view.

Brittany thought Quinn was being ridiculous.

* * *

><p>Quinn Fabray didn't usually take matters into her own hands, but when she did she was vicious. And Quinn could be especially vicious whenever Rachel was involved. Harsh words were Quinn's usual weapon of choice and the student body was her applauding audience. But when others are occupied with raucous laughter Brittany remains still in her silence.<p>

The way Rachel would look sadder than her usual sad after Quinn publicly insults her made Brittany's heart tighten. She didn't understand how Rachel could handle every other hurdle with poise but one particularly nasty round with Quinn and Rachel was ready to crumble.

Brittany always wanted to hug Rachel after each brutal encounter.

She also always wanted to slap the shit out of one Quinn Fabray as well.

* * *

><p>Some days later filled with similar events, Brittany had a hunch of whatever was going on between Rachel and Quinn. And she definitely didn't like the way her heart clenched every time she thought about the two. Fortunately (and unfortunately) both her guess and her feelings were confirmed the day she stumbled across the two in the girls' locker room.<p>

It was a time she would never forget.

* * *

><p>Quinn had stopped with her affectionate kisses across Rachel's jaw line to look up. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she stared down the pathway that she was sure she saw a flash of something.<p>

"Did you hear something?" she whispered lightly to the other girl.

Rachel only shook her head slightly in frustration at the question and in response to the other girl's stilled actions. "No one's around Quinn. Everyone would have left McKinley by now."

Rachel reached up with her right hand and gently brushed away the strands of hair that fell across Quinn's face. She wanted nothing more than to pull the girl closer and to feel the kisses once more. However, when Rachel attempted to do just that, Quinn had quickly brushed her hands aside and moved a few steps back. Adjusting her own clothes (and changing her demeanor), Quinn gave Rachel a look that clearly told her to stay back and away from her.

"I think I should leave," Quinn says briskly before picking up the bag she had roughly tossed down earlier. And then she was off – always the same, always indifferent.

Rachel didn't really agree with Quinn's choices, but she did love her. And so she'd respect her decisions even if they did both infuriate and frustrate her at times. Not to mention, it hurt whenever Quinn could brush her off so coolly like week old trash.

After waiting a few more minutes, Rachel then straightened her own appearance before walking out the locker room as well.

Once Rachel had left and the door clicked shut, the sound of shoes squeaking across the floor could be heard. Hidden behind some row of lockers, Brittany had let herself slump down onto the linoleum floor and pulled her legs up as she hugged them.

Quinn had almost seen her whereas she, in turn, had seen Quinn… with Rachel. Not only that, Quinn was **kissing** Rachel.

Brittany's hands tightened as she replayed the scene she just saw over and over **and over** in her mind.

That was the day when everything made sense.

And that was the day when she felt her own heart break.

-End Chapter One-

* * *

><p>AN: Poor Brittany. Seems she figured out the crush she has on Rachel and at the most inopportune time too.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Heartbreak Hotel [2/?]

Brittany wasn't dumb. She knew exactly what was going on between Quinn and Rachel. But, sometimes, she wished she were just as oblivious as everyone else.

* * *

><p>Disclaimer: I own nothing. The only thing I do own is my imagination of things that will probably never ever happen. Still, a girl can dream.<p>

* * *

><p>The following week was spent in a daze. Brittany had pondered and wondered over the predicament she recently found herself in. But the more she thought about it, the more unfocused she became of everything else in her life.<p>

Besides, nothing much had come out from all that thinking except for how great Rachel's legs looked in those skirts of hers.

Brittany resisted the urge to slap herself silly for the nth time and settled for a small, frustrated groan. Fantasizing about Rachel really didn't help in her situation. At all. Ever.

Stumbling slightly in her Cheerios routine, Brittany managed to keep herself from bumping into the girl next to her. Unfortunately, her unprecedented moves had already caught the attention of some.

"Focus!" came the distinctive shout as one Sue Sylvester let out a frustrated growl of her own.

Brittany quickly moved in tune to the beat of the music, all the while avoiding meeting Santana's prodding gaze. Now was definitely not the time to be thinking about Rachel, especially during practice. She needed to focus on the cheer routine and forget about her problems for the time being.

* * *

><p>Brittany absolutely failed on all counts when a flash of argyle later appeared just at the corner of her vision. Only one person is brave enough to wear such type of clothing. So it didn't take much of a guess as to whom the figure hidden slightly behind the bleachers was. Rachel Berry.<p>

Brittany's smile widen at the idea that Rachel was here watching. But then reality completely set in and she realized that Rachel was probably here to watch Quinn practice. Her smile faltered just a bit, but Brittany made sure to keep on smiling; cheerleaders were suppose to smile during their performances, practice or not.

As she twirled, Brittany spared a glance at Quinn who had moved in front of her.

Quinn looked both pristine and calm and completely oblivious to Rachel's presence. Brittany felt her jaw tense ever so slightly.

"Focus!" Sue barked once more and Brittany was thrown out of her contemplations. Shaking the distinctive ringing in her ears – courtesy of Sue Sylvester – and ignoring the pointed look Santana was giving her, Brittany concentrated on the routine they've been practicing since forever.

But then the fact that Rachel was around would cause her to slightly falter again, which resulted in Sue narrowing her eyes just that more and Santana showering her with further looks.

Brittany tried to forget that Rachel was around. Of course, her focus didn't last long as Brittany decided to sneak another peek at Quinn.

Rachel was here for Quinn and the girl didn't even notice.

Brittany felt her insides lurch.

Soon after, Rachel manages to catch Quinn's eyes and gives the captain a small wave and smile.

Quinn's legs quiver faintly and nearly give out in response at the shock, but she manages to finish up the routine without fail. With her arms stretched up high and a big smile plastered on her face, Quinn subtly looks around at the surrounding Cheerios. She desperately hoped that no one else had noticed Rachel's (secret) nearby presence.

But Brittany had seen Rachel. And Brittany had most definitely seen Quinn's adverse reaction to the little diva's surprise appearance.

Her heart clenched a little tighter.

It just wasn't fair.

* * *

><p>"Hit the showers!" came the shout as the command boomed loudly through the bullhorn, effectively scattering the cheerleaders on the football field.<p>

With a disappointed sigh, Sue then let her raised arm fall and griped the bullhorn a little bit harder. There was just no excuse for such a lack luster performance.

"Babies. I'm surrounded by ill-coordinated babies," she muttered to herself.

A quiver **and** a distracted Cheerio. Sue wasn't sure where she had gone wrong. A slight chuckle passed her lips. Who was she kidding? Nothing she did was ever wrong. Sue's lips suddenly thinned as a thought weaved its way into her mind. Something, or someone, was messing with her Cheerios. And Sue was going to get to the bottom of it.

Watching as Brittany, her best dancer on the squad, walk past with Santana sticking close by, Sue crossed her arms. Perhaps she'd questioned Santana later on what was distracting the tall blonde. Until then, Sue eyed the girl following after the two.

"You feeling alright Quinn?" she asks almost nonchalantly.

Said girl jumps slightly at the questioning before nervously looking back, blinking a few times more than necessary. Sue observed as Quinn flaunted that false smile of hers before promptly replying. "I'm just really tired from Glee Club."

Her stomach plummeted as Sue simply stared after her Cheerios captain as the girl quickly walked off. A slight look of suspicion washed over Sue.

Glee Club. She should have known.

* * *

><p>Watching as the last of the Cheerios left the room, Santana made her move. Speeding over towards a familiar blonde, Santana effectively blocked the girl's path towards escaping her.<p>

Crossing her arms, Santana gave Brittany a look that showed she meant business. "What's throwing you off your rockers Brits?"

Santana wasn't going to leave until she got a satisfactory answer and Brittany knew that. Still, the girl couldn't help but reply with a shrug of her shoulders and a simple 'nothing'. The response would have fooled no one and Santana certainly knew better.

Taking a single step back, Santana took in the complete sight of Brittany's current posture. The girl stood mostly on her left side and was absently scratching at her elbow. All the while, Brittany kept shifting her gaze between imaginary spots on the linoleum floor, never once looking directly at Santana.

It didn't take much for Santana to gather a hint as to what was bothering the usually cheerful girl.

"Okay. Who's the guy so I can go beat up his ass," she asks almost casually. Brittany sometimes had these small crushes that happens once or twice every few months. So Santana had seen this situation as no different, though usually the recipients of Brittany's crushes always seemed ecstatic to get together with the tall blonde. Santana resisted the urge to sigh; guess it wasn't the case this time.

"It's not a guy," Brittany finally answers.

Santana only raises an eyebrow, but isn't too entirely shocked, before continuing with her question. "Then who's the girl?"

That moment Brittany became absolutely quiet, which in turn began worrying the Latina. Standing up straighter, Santana really looked at Brittany. A few moments of silence past before a thought struck her.

"Oh hell no, it's not Quinn is it?" she asked as she quickly uncrosses her arms and moves back a little in response to that possibility.

Brittany only stared – completely stunned actually – as Santana continued on with her deductions. "Cause I saw how you kept looking at her sometimes during practice today and –"

"No! No, it's not Quinn!" Brittany hastily interrupts before Santana could go any further into her way far-off reasoning.

'Hallelujah' was said with a wave of a hand. And Santana felt relief lift off her shoulders when Brittany admitted it wasn't Quinn she was crushing on, but then she sees the girl before her shift her eyes around nervously. That feeling of dread returned with full force and took residency somewhere at the pit of her stomach.

"It's," Brittany pauses a little to ponder on Santana's reaction before continuing, "Rachel."

A reaction isn't immediate. In fact, Santana just stares blankly at Brittany as if she hadn't heard what the girl just confessed. And Brittany was ready to repeat what she admitted, but Santana had beaten her to the punch.

"Please tell me you're joking Brit," Santana seemed to plead – a first really.

Brittany only stares apologetically at her and shakes her head 'no' in confirmation.

"Ay dios mio," Santana says as she throws her hands up in the air exasperatedly. "This is Man Hands we're talking about! RuPaul, remember?"

Brittany reacted immediately as she promptly straightened her posture and fires back a 'don't call her that' in Rachel's defense.

Santana could only stare disbelievingly at Brittany, who was staring back defiantly.

"Don't?" she scoffs before muttering to herself, "Oh God, you really do like her."

Santana only threw her hands up in exasperation once again; she wasn't sure what else she could handle at the moment. So she headed straight for the door.

Brittany hastily moves to follow, anything really to explain her side of the story.

"San, I –" she begins only to be interrupted once Santana spins around to confront the girl.

"I'm going to give you some time to think – **really** think Brittany – on why exactly you shouldn't like 'Berry'," she says with air quotes to show that she was willing to say the troll's proper name just this once for Brittany. Then with a quick turn, Santana left Brittany all alone in that same locker room where Brittany's troubles were fully realized.

"San," Brittany whimpers sadly once the other girl left.

-End Chapter Two-

* * *

><p>AN: I should probably stop ending the chapter with a sad Brittany. And with her being left all alone in the girls' locker room. Also, I'm tweaking the timeline a bit so some things may or may not happen from the original Glee timeline.

On other news, I don't think I can post everyday. That's pretty hard.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Heartbreak Hotel [3/?]

Brittany wasn't dumb. She knew exactly what was going on between Quinn and Rachel. But, sometimes, she wished she were just as oblivious as everyone else.

* * *

><p>Disclaimer: I own nothing. The only thing I do own is my imagination of things that will probably never ever happen. Still, a girl can dream.<p>

* * *

><p>Days – weeks actually – had passed since Santana's last encounter with Brittany; she wasn't completely avoiding the tall blonde, per say, just not hanging around the girl as much. Brittany needed to get her head screwed on straight – pun not intended – and get over this phase of hers. God, she really hoped this was a phase – a sick, twisted phase.<p>

Santana didn't fault the girl on her choice for a love interest though. Brittany tended to have a natural curiosity for the strangest of things at times. Instead, Santana placed the blame solely on the annoying little hobbit known as Rachel Berry. That 'thing' must have done something to make Brittany believe she had a hard-on for 'it'. And Santana was going to expose Brittany to the truth of what that she-male really is, an undesirable yeti.

So Santana had taken up the habit of doing a little troll watching.

This was no easy task.

It was hard enough to watch the girl, as this was the Gleek Queen extraordinaire. And Santana felt her time would have been better spent doing more practice routines with Coach Sylvester than having to look at the multiple atrocities Man Hands was committing with her choice of clothing alone. Santana had to resist the urge to gouge out her eyes at times.

Then the whole fiasco with the 'vitamins' and being one of 'Sue's kids' came and went like yesterday's news. And Santana could still see that Brittany wasn't getting any better, what with her love-struck self showing a little more each day.

Santana almost said 'screw it' with her plans to scrutinize the little diva and was about to commit with a full frontal assault – basically manhandle the runt until she squealed. But then Brittany would know and give her that look and….

Santana just wasn't equipped to deal with an angry Brittany. Brittany can get downright fierce if the girl wanted to.

The Latina almost growled in frustration. She seriously needed to figure out what Man Hands has or could have done to cause Brittany to do a complete 180. And she needed to do this fast because she's been spending way too much of her time watching the little troll, almost as much as the other loser known as Jacob Ben Israel – Santana felt like shuddering at that horrific comparison. The end results better be worth this torture.

* * *

><p>Another day, another wasted moment spent watching Berry.<p>

Letting out a small sigh, Santana leaned on her left shoulder against a row of lockers as she glanced towards the right through the corner of her eyes. Within seconds the expected person walked into view and Santana had to applaud the girl for her promptness, if nothing else.

Following, the usual random jock appears and intentionally bumps into the diva, causing a plethora of books and folders to drop onto the floor. Santana almost felt sorry enough to go help the girl, but she manages to stop herself from making an obvious mistake of caring. Well, that and the way Berry's skirt hikes up slightly today gave the Latina pause.

Unconsciously, Santana tilts her head to the side as she observed Berry with a different view. She had to admit that the girl's got some nice legs for a dwarf. And with a nice –

Santana immediately cut her own thoughts off.

Standing up straight, she quickly scanned over her last few internal mumblings. Santana almost ran her head through a nearby locker as a result, but opted to turn away and strut off instead.

She must be going crazy from all this troll watching.

* * *

><p>Luckily something good did come out from all these observations Santana has been making. Quinn never failed to send numerous death glares towards Rachel whenever the girl was around Finn, or vice versa. Happiness abounded for Santana when she found Quinn's distain never ceased – a forever constant. Who knew what she'd do if she ever caught Quinn making goo-goo eyes at Rachel as well.<p>

Thank God for small miracles.

* * *

><p>She still couldn't see what was so great about the hobbit that's got Brittany chasing. The only other person – if Santana could call him that – who seemed to hound after the runt was Jew-Fro.<p>

Whatever.

As nothing horrific seems to be coming over the horizon, Santana settled for some good ol' fashioned spying. And speak of the devil.

_Here comes the troll now_, Santana thought as said girl walks by to her locker.

Turning away, Santana takes the time to open her own locker and puts away some books before turning back. She didn't expect to see Puck approaching the diva but the fact that he held a cup of Big Quench in his hands didn't surprise her.

What did surprise Santana though was when Puck decided to idiotically stand there with a slushie in hand instead of tossing its contents onto the, at first, unsuspecting girl. Santana figured before Puck spoke that something was wrong. And when the manwhore did speak, it only just confirmed what Santana scarcely imagined.

* * *

><p>"I picked it up for you when I was buying dip."<p>

Rachel only looks up tentatively at Puck as he continued to speak.

"It's grape," he says before pulling out a still wrapped straw from behind his right ear. There's a moment of pause, as Puck looks serious for an instant. "I know that's your favorite, because the last time I tossed a grape one in your face you licked your lips before you cleaned yourself off."

Rachel continues to stare blinkingly at Puck, who then offers the wrapped straw he had.

Neither two noticed (or heard) how Santana growled before slamming her locker shut and angrily rushed off. Correspondingly, the two failed to see a nearby Brittany stomp off as well; remains of a snapped pencil scattered on the floor indicates that Brittany was not happy at the change of events.

* * *

><p>It wasn't long before Santana confronted Brittany.<p>

After having watched Puck practically serenade the little diva in Glee Club Santana couldn't hold in her disgust anymore. She had to mentally steel herself from jumping out her chair and punching the shit out of Puck to bring some sense of normalcy back into the boy.

What the hell was going on?

Why was this happening to her?

And when did Berry get such a hot bod?

Santana felt there might have been some sort of conspiracy going on and that the midget must have been slipping something into their drinks. But then she sees the uneasiness that's been growing in Brittany's eyes and Santana could only deflate from her need for a rampage. Instead, she reaches out with both hands and waits for the colliding body that's sure to come.

She missed her best friend. And Santana hoped that Brittany realized that from the hug that's still going on now. Minutes tick by and the Latina figures that the tall blonde was waiting on a further acknowledgement of acceptance. So Santana spoke.

"Okay, I'll admit that the girl's got some killer legs," she says with a bit of a smirk. "But now I'm finding out that Puck's starting to get the hots for her too?"

Brittany lets out a small laugh before letting go of her, thankfully, still best friend. "Yeah. Rachel's great like that," the blonde remarks with a smile and a shrug of her shoulders.

"But you're better," Santana responds before drawing up some ideas and explaining ways for Brittany to catch the girl. Berry was going to see that Brittany was the girl for her whether she knew it or not.

And that was the plan; that was the way Santana was showing her somewhat acceptance of Brittany's deranged crush on Rachel Berry. But then Brittany ruins it all when she says that she can't do any of the things Santana suggests.

"And why the hell not?" was the hot reply.

Santana didn't think much could surprise her after learning what she did about Brittany's secret crush those few weeks ago. But, of course, Brittany opts to shatter her mentality once again when she explains why exactly she couldn't try any of Santana's guaranteed techniques.

"Because she's already with Quinn."

"What?" she simply said, dumbfounded.

-End Chapter Three-

* * *

><p>AN: Wow. This chapter was completed way faster than I thought. Yay me. Anywhoo, I like a dumbfounded Santana. How about you?


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Heartbreak Hotel [4/?]

Brittany wasn't dumb. She knew exactly what was going on between Quinn and Rachel. But, sometimes, she wished she were just as oblivious as everyone else.

* * *

><p>Disclaimer: I own nothing. The only thing I do own is my imagination of things that will probably never ever happen. Still, a girl can dream.<p>

* * *

><p>"Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to work together on some mash-up ideas."<p>

Rachel should have known something was wrong when Puck suddenly approached her with no seemingly apparent ill intentions. But she couldn't help but look up and just blink dumbly at the boy instead of the usual rush to the closest girls' restroom. He actually seemed sincere with his request, and he did just give her a slushie to drink instead of the typical facial.

Besides, the chance to practice on her vocals, especially with someone else, was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Rachel cherished every solo she's ever gotten and worked hard to get them, but she had to (secretly) admit that she much rather preferred working on duets. These types of musical numbers gave her that rare chance of connecting with someone, even if only briefly for that one moment, when nothing else mattered but singing together with the person besides you.

And Rachel certainly wouldn't mind connecting with Puck and finding herself another compatible leading man; she couldn't just sing with Finn all the time, though their voices did compliment each other quite nicely.

So all in all, Rachel was rather excited to be working together on possible songs with Puck. School came and went for the day and Rachel quickly found herself in her room singing Christina Aguilera's What a Girl Wants while Puck accompanied her acoustically on his guitar.

Their practice session was progressing along adequately and she didn't think much of it when Puck stopped playing the guitar to ask for a break. She, of course, agreed; she wasn't a slave driver and allowed breaks whenever the situation permitted it. But then the strangest thing occurred. Puck had asked – rather bluntly – if they could make out.

Rachel wondered whether this was a joking or not but found that the boy was quite serious in his attempt of flirting, if it could be called that. This odd twist of events was sudden, random even.

Even so, Rachel had naturally declined. Not that Puck wasn't already an appealing specimen, but she was presently in a relationship though technically a secret one. And Rachel may be many things – a diva, stardom-crazed, intense, etc – but she was definitely not a cheater.

"No we may not make out," Rachel answered before standing straighter. "Besides," she put her hands on her hips, "I thought you wanted to work on mash-up ideas for Glee Club."

Puck stared at Rachel in slight surprise – no doubt unused to a girl saying no to him. "Well yeah," he started, "But I thought that would lead to us kissing later on."

"I assure you that there will be no kissing occurring between us 'later on' or ever," Rachel says promptly, nipping that idea right in the bud. After a slight pause, she crosses her arms and looks at Puck with an inquisitive thought.

"Why are you so interested in me all of sudden Noah?" she asked, naturally curious.

Puck only put the guitar down and stood up with a big grin. "Why not?" he said as he took a couple of steps towards the girl. Gesturing between the both of them, Puck continued on with his reasoning. "We're both really hot Jews. It's only natural that we hook up sooner or later."

Rachel resisted the urge to smile at being called a 'hot Jew' and, not to mention, Puck's simplistic ways of thinking. "As flattered as I am by your interest, I'm going to decline your offer," she answers instead with finality and a nod.

Puck only appears a bit put off and somewhat confused by the situation – no girl had ever rejected him before. And Rachel can sense the bit of awkwardness that was beginning to set in. "Maybe we should stop here for today?" she suggests.

Puck only nods to himself before mumbling a soft 'I guess so'. Walking back to pick up the guitar leaning against Rachel's bed, he furrows his eyebrows a bit in thought before heading towards the door. And just when he was inches away from exiting Rachel's room, Puck suddenly turns back, surprising Rachel who was right behind. "It's Finn isn't it?" he questions out of the blue.

Catching her breath and rewinding the scene in her mind, Rachel only remains bewildered at Puck's latest act. "Pardon me?" she asks, unsure of what was going on this time in the boy's head.

Puck only shifted the guitar to one hand, holding it solely by its neck, before emphasizing on his recent outburst. "Why you won't make out with me," he states rather bluntly once again.

Furrowing her eyebrows, Rachel stared up at Puck truly and utterly confused. "What does Finn have to do with any of this?" she questions straight away.

Puck merely scoffs. "Duh. It's kind of obvious," he gives Rachel an 'everybody knows' look and continues, "You're always looking at the dude whenever he's with Quinn and doing shit with her."

Immediately, Rachel straightens her posture before crossing her arms and adamantly replying. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Shaking his head, Puck lets out a small smirk at Rachel's lame attempt of denial before muttering, "And people say I'm stubborn Jew."

No other words were then spoken between the two. Puck simply waits for an explanation, whereas Rachel contemplates the moments where Puck must have seen her (perhaps carelessly) gazing at Quinn. She could only thank her lucky stars – and the Almighty Barbra Streisand – that Puck figured she was pining over Finn instead.

"Well, I'm not interested in Finn. But if you insist on a reason why I won't 'hook up' with you it's because," she pauses a little in thought, "Because you don't have initiative. You have potential to become leading man yet you don't care." All the while, Rachel had been begun walking forward causing the Mohawk boy to walk clumsily backwards. The moment he took that last step out her room, she looked at Puck seriously. "And I absolutely cannot be with someone who so willingly squanders their talent," she proclaims before shutting the door.

It wasn't long before she heard him mutter something about 'hot but weird chicks' and his fading footsteps. When she heard the front door of her house slam shut, Rachel let out a breath of relief. She could only hope that this conversation never comes up again, especially around Quinn. It didn't take much to provoke the blonde cheerleader, and it always took a while before Rachel could calm her down – particularly since the girl didn't want others to know about the two of them.

Rachel sighed before walking over and letting herself fall forwards onto her bed.

She really wished Quinn would become as comfortable as she was about their relationship.

* * *

><p>Things had certainly taken a turn for the worse (and awkward) when a few days later Puck came in with a song ready to sing. Rachel was truly flattered. And she might have fallen for the boy if she didn't already have eyes for somebody else.<p>

Soon Puck began approaching with his guitar and Rachel shifted uneasily in her seat. When he looked at her like a little boy with his first crush, Rachel couldn't help but demurely look away.

Remaining undeterred, Puck continued on with his song and Rachel had to smile. He did, after all, have lovely vocals. And it wasn't long till Rachel found herself joining in and singing briefly alongside with some of the Glee clubbers.

As the song came to an end, Rachel was amongst the firsts to immediately applaud his performance. Even if Puck was only doing this to garner her attention, she had to congratulate him on his courage and presentation.

When he looks at her coyly and grins at her enthusiasm, Rachel's smile widens just that much more.

Briefly, she wondered what Quinn thought about all this.

And behind Rachel, Brittany looked on in alarm whereas Santana scoffs in disgust.

* * *

><p>Puck could be rather charming when he wanted to which Rachel surprisingly discovered. For the few days after his sudden rendition of Sweet Caroline, Puck had familiarized himself with the locations of her classes as he began escorting her to them. He even took up the duty of holding her books and other various items.<p>

It was all very sweet really and Rachel found the boy's actions to be quite endearing. Puck had acted like a true gentleman. Quinn, however, was completely unamused and kept a close eye on the two Jews whenever they interacted. The blonde's heighten hostilities was also beginning to attract notice and blow completely out of hand.

Simply put, Rachel needed to put an end to Puck's charms, preferably before Quinn blew a gasket. Moreover, Rachel honestly couldn't see the two of them working out. She just didn't feel that type of connection that Puck was pushing for.

So ultimately she was rejecting the boy once again. That's why the two of them are left standing by her locker talking as they did long after school had ended for the day.

"I much rather be your friend Noah," Rachel states plainly.

The boy next to her only lowers his gaze onto the floor as if in pause for thought. When the moment continues to stretch with silence, Rachel begins to worry about Puck's mental state. She's about to voice her concern when the Mohawk boy suddenly looks up at her.

"Friends with benefits?" Puck asks with a roguish grin. Rachel only huffs before stomping one of her feet in slight anger, both at her unnecessary worry and his outrageous suggestion.

"Absolutely not! I'm not that kind of girl!" Rachel exclaims with indignation.

Puck quickly laughs it off. "I was just joking," he abruptly wiggles his eyebrows in a suggestive manner, "Unless you change your mind. I am the Puckasaurus after all." The tall boy proceeds to puff up his chest and show off his 'guns'.

Rachel merely rolls her eyes before shoving Puck lightly. "Puckasaurus or not, I'm already in a committed relationship."

"Or so you say," he retorts before playfully bumping his side against the little diva's.

"I am!" she shouts before bumping back.

"I'll believe you when I meet this person you're oh so committed to," Puck says casually.

At that statement, however, Rachel remains abnormally quiet, contemplating whether or not she could ever show off her girlfriend to anyone. Puck, sensing Rachel's mood change, slings an arm over the brunette's shoulders and switches the conversation's topic.

"You know what Berry?" he asks as he gave Rachel another roguish grin. Said girl only looks up with an eyebrow raised. "You aren't that bad after all," he continues before giving the girl a small noogie and walking off. Rachel only lets out an indignant squawk at having her hair ruffled before cracking a tiny smile of her own.

"You're not that bad either Noah," she calls out to the departing boy.

Puck only turns around and continues walking, simply backwards this time. "Wrong. I'm totally bad – badass!" he retorts with a wink and a grin before disappearing around a corner.

Rachel just chuckles at Puck's parting words before turning to open her locker. She would have reached in to bring out a couple of books if not for the fact that her locker door suddenly slammed shut. Staring at the familiar hand pressed against the metal door, Rachel traced it back to the blonde it belonged to.

"What's going on between you and Puck?" Quinn practically demands.

Rachel only gives the other girl an 'are you kidding' look before replying with her answer. "Nothing. We were just talking."

The Cheerios captain remained skeptical. She had clearly seen the two being all buddy-buddy with one another some seconds ago. And she definitely didn't miss the smiles shared.

"Puck **never** just talks with girls," the blonde snips back.

Turning to fully face the other girl, Rachel crosses her arms. "Well I'm not like most girls and I don't think I like what you're insinuating here."

Whatever Quinn would have said next was silenced when – luckily or unluckily – Santana and Brittany made their presence known.

"What are you doing here with Berry, of all people, Q?" the Latina asked as Quinn quickly straightens at the two's appearance.

"Nothing," the questioned girl curtly answers before turning and walking off. Santana just raises an eyebrow at the scene before looking at Brittany who's (not surprisingly) looking at Rachel (again). Luckily, the shortest of the three was busily looking at anywhere but the remaining Cheerios within the vicinity.

Santana merely rolls her eyes at Brittany's blatant stares and grabs the tall blonde before following after Quinn. "Come on Britts, before we're late for practice as well."

And as Santana continued to lead Brittany away, she couldn't believe that the girl was totally spot-on about the relationship going on between the Cheerios captain and the Gleek Queen. Santana briefly wondered if this was truly hell on earth and, if not, whether she could stop the impending apocalypse.

* * *

><p>"Quinn," Puck answered with a big grin and a look that clearly hinted at his not-so-innocent thoughts.<p>

He was the first to saunter up towards 'The Hat' and had immediately gotten Quinn as his ballad partner. Rachel tried not to appear disheartened before subtly glancing back to observe Quinn's reaction; the picked girl didn't seem to mind.

Next up were Artie who had gotten Mercedes; Finn (reluctantly) getting Kurt; and Tina who surprisingly picked up the card that read 'Other Asian'.

Standing, Rachel proceeded with strutting on up towards the piano only to have Santana abruptly cut in front of her. The little diva let out a small gasp at the other girl's audacity, whereas Santana only mockingly smiled back before reaching into the upturned hat placed on the piano.

It wasn't luck that Santana had seen Brittany's written name beforehand. And it wasn't fate when the Latina deliberately reached for the other folded blue card.

"Mr Schue," she spoke without much fanfare or enthusiasm.

Before anyone could comment on that pairing, a loud crash had interrupted everyone's thoughts. Looking back, the Glee Clubbers were treated to the sight of a Brittany sprawled out on the floor.

"Ouch. That hurt," the girl nonchalantly stated before getting back up on her chair. Luckily, no one other than Santana had noticed the light blush that coated the tall blonde's cheeks. And (fortunately) only Santana knew the real reasoning for Brittany's sudden feelings of being flustered.

* * *

><p>Although Brittany wasn't exactly her first choice for a ballad partner, Rachel found that she didn't mind the other girl's company. Brittany wasn't like most of the other Cheerios and jocks; the girl didn't actively participated in the ridiculous hazing of Rachel Berry ritual. Brittany was actually quite courteous around her. Rachel paused slightly in her movements as she mused over that.<p>

Returning to her original thoughts, Rachel continued to leaf through some of the music sheets she had gathered for the Glee Club assignment. Even if she didn't get Quinn as she liked, Rachel was going to make the most of this moment. Ballads were all about expressing your feelings and getting through to the one you're singing towards. And Rachel Berry was definitely all about being expressive and being true to one's feelings.

Though, standing by her dresser, Rachel wondered why Brittany hasn't exactly said anything as of yet. Did the girl not have any ideas? Glancing back, she spied the tall blonde sitting on the bed gazing at the various objects that decorated her room. Smiling at the girl's natural curiosity, Rachel returned to her music sheets. However, her thoughts began to waver once more.

This scene was oddly reminiscent to the last time she had someone else from Glee Club in her room. After a moment's pause, Rachel quickly shook herself of that particular thought. As if Brittany would suddenly start hitting on her in her own room. Preposterous really.

But then she feels that penetrating gaze at the back of her head and Rachel stiffens slightly in response. Lately, she had caught the blonde staring at her more often than usual. Rachel wouldn't have cared as this was Brittany and Brittany tended to blatantly stare at her at times without ever realizing it. This was just one of Brittany's quirks Rachel surmised. It was kind of adorable really. And she didn't exactly mind the harmless attention, except that her sixth sense had been going off recently every time she caught the girl staring.

Or, more accurately, her sixth sense would start to ping and Rachel would look around just to catch Brittany not so delicately looking away.

She thinks Santana might have started watching her too. Though she couldn't actually tell since the fiery Cheerio probably would have been more discrete with her actions, unlike Brittany.

Whatever they might have planned she'd be ready for them Rachel reasoned.

Turning around, Rachel held the music sheets firmly in her hands before approaching the blonde Cheerio. "For this particular assignment I believe that –"

"Why do you like Q?" Brittany interjects, rattling Rachel in the process.

Stopped in her tracks, Rachel stuttered with her thoughts as she tried to determine what Brittany might have meant. "I… I don't know what you mean," she manages to blurt out meanwhile.

Brittany only gave her a look that clearly said 'I'm not that stupid' causing Rachel to quickly look away in guilt. The diva couldn't help but feel her hammer rapidly in her chest. And the usually naïve blonde couldn't help but feel her own heart squeeze painfully when Rachel looked away.

-End Chapter Four-

* * *

><p>AN: Yeah, a bit of Puckleberry in this. And Brittany falling out of her chair is awesome, especially since it's because she realized Rachel's her ballad partner. Now to reply to some reviews:

Fridizh = I was very (**VERY**) tempted to have Santana pass out after that declaration, but I've decided to leave it up to the readers on what happened afterwards. Hence, the unwritten-ness of that scene. And as for your question about Rachel's awareness, Rachel's aware of something. She just hasn't fully connected the dots yet.

Shine90 = At the moment it's Faberry with some one-sided Brittberry going on. And maybe just a tiny dash of Pezberry, maybe.


End file.
